Employee handbooks contain key employment policies. Private sector employers should not only maintain handbooks, but also understand their significance and purpose. Below we cover the most important elements of effective employee handbooks. The Purpose An employee handbook
Articles Discussing Employee Handbooks.
Handbook Season Arrives with a Flurry of Potential Policy Updates
2024 produced a number of new laws and legal developments requiring changes to employer policies, including changes related to discrimination and harassment, pregnancy and lactation, workplace safety and violence, and paid leaves, among others. Employers should review their handbooks and policies to ensure compliance with new federal, state, and local
The Do’s and Don’t’s of Policy Drafting – Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw
EntertainHR: Gamehendge – What Phish’s Music Can Teach Employers about Handbooks
Why You Need a Handbook Tune-Up
In this episode, Jen reminds us why updating your workplace policies annually is critical to avoiding employment law liability.
Ensuring Employee Handbook Compliance During a Business Transaction or Restructuring
By: Ensuring Employee Handbook Compliance During a Business Transaction or Restructuring
As the economy changes, corporate restructures, mergers and acquisitions are on the rise. There is a plethora of employment-related issues that should be heavily vetted in advance of a corporate transaction as the target company’s employment-related obligations and liabilities may,
What are some of the pros and cons of nationwide employee policies?
Drafting Practical, Effective Employee Handbooks
Almost every employer should maintain an employee handbook containing key employment policies. However, employers often misunderstand the role of handbooks. Below we discuss the most common mistakes in preparing employee handbooks, and the best practices in this important area.
Employee Handbooks: Can One Size Fit All for Multistate and International Employers?
Multistate employers often face the difficult task of finding the most effective way to prepare their handbooks while ensuring compliance not only with federal law, but also with the applicable state, local, and even international laws of the jurisdictions in which they operate. As many multistate employers continue to grow
Tips for Updating Employee Handbooks in 2021
There are numerous reasons why employers should take the time to update their handbooks on an annual basis, at a minimum. However, many employers, including those in the construction industry, undervalue the benefits a current, legally compliant handbook can have, and unfortunately, having an out-of-date handbook can be just as risky as having no handbook at all.
Are You Prepared for the Return of the War on Employee Handbooks?
The National Labor Relations Act governs what most private-sector employers can say and do with respect to employee “concerted” or group activities, whether they are represented by a union or not. This includes scrutiny by the National Labor Relations Board of workplace rules and policies that may interfere with
5 Key Employee Handbook Updates to Consider in 2021
With the onslaught of the pandemic in 2020, many employers were busy dealing with staffing issues, safety concerns, and COVID-19–related legislation. There may have been little to no time to address handbook policies. With many changes on the horizon in 2021 under President Biden’s administration and the adaptations in the
Handbooks – NLRB Gives Some Control Back to Employers
Executive Summary: On December 14, 2017, in a 3-2 decision, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) overruled the “reasonably construe” standard it established in Lutheran Heritage Village-Livonia, 343 NLRB 646 (2004), to determine whether a facially neutral rule or handbook policy violates an employee’s Section 7 rights. See The Boeing Company and Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, IFTPE Local 2001, Cases 19-CA-090932, 19-CA-090948, and 19-CA-095296.
New NLRB Majority Calls off the War on Employee Handbooks
On December 14, 2017, the National Labor Relations Board issued an important decision in The Boeing Co., 365 NLRB No. 154 (2017), where the Board’s new three-member majority established a new standard for evaluating the validity of employer rules, policies, and handbook provisions under the National Labor Relations Act (“the Act”).
Leaving Defenses On The Table In Drafting Employee Handbooks And Posting Notices
While off-the-shelf employee handbooks can be cost-efficient in the short-term, sometimes they leave important employer defenses on the table. This is particularly true for state-specific defenses.